Luxury Real Estate Developer Seized in Playa del Carmen Scandal

Francisco Pérez Lobato, the head of Desarrollos Turísticos LT and former legal director at Gigante Grupo Inmobiliario SA de CV, has been arrested in Tulum. This comes after an eight-month manhunt following his alleged involvement in a massive fraud case. The arrest was executed by the State Attorney General's Office on November 26. At the time of his arrest, Pérez Lobato was casually dressed in grey shorts, a multicolored t-shirt, and sneakers. His son, Ian Pérez López, remains at large.

Pérez Lobato is accused of defrauding clients and a financial institution in relation to the luxury complex SÚUT in Playa del Carmen, a project he left unfinished. This has resulted in significant financial losses for both clients and financial institutions. The development was intended to offer a luxurious lifestyle in one of the Riviera Maya's most exclusive areas, but it remains unfinished and abandoned.

Pérez Lobato is alleged to have misused a credit of 90.6 million pesos granted for the construction of the development. He is also suspected of diverting funds from the pre-sale of the complex's 91 apartments, raising the embezzlement to more than 200 million. The complainants include both the buyers and the financial institution that granted the credit.

Investigations have revealed that both Pérez Lobato and his son made significant transfers and deposits during the project's management period. These funds were used to purchase luxury goods and family properties. The housing complex, which was promised to be a luxury icon in Playa del Carmen, is now abandoned. None of the apartments have been completed or handed over and the structures show signs of neglect and deterioration.

Constructora Carsa, the company responsible for the construction under Pérez Lobato's supervision, has also been implicated in these irregularities. However, the firm and its teams, including sales, after-sales, architecture, and construction, have denied any responsibility, claiming they were unaware of the final destination of the funds.

Furthermore, Constructora Carsa stated that they lost contact with Pérez Lobato over six months ago. During this period, there were movements in his personal accounts, including deposits and transfers amounting to several million pesos.

In a separate case, Armando Mendoza Sánchez from the company "PDC Solar renewable energy" is also accused of alleged fraud in Playa del Carmen.